Monday, August 31, 2015

Intosite Mobile Software from Siemens PLM

Issue #872

by Ralph Grabowski with Tali Segal

We've been examining the state of CAD running on non-Windows mobile devices, particularly the new Android-based CAD program ARES Touch from Graebert Gmbh, a small software company in Berlin. What about the four giants of the CAD industry?

Other than Autodesk, it seems that Dassault, Siemens PLM, and PTC are being reticent about mobile. The zero-to-piddling revenue they would receive from mobile apps collectively make them unenthusiastic in embracing the new world in which Android and iOS devices dominate.

As a result, some of them have released apps that are as lame as chalk dust, such as brochure-like ones that say things like "Introducing our mechanical design division to you!" -- an interactive PDF file, as it were. Others are targeting the periphery of CAD, such as Intosite from Siemens PLM Software.

All About Intosite

To understand Intosite, you first have to understand Tecnomatix from Siemens PLM. Tecnomatix used to plan and simulate the process of manufacturing things, such as the order in which they are assembled, testing electronics components, how robots and people interact with the machinery, and getting materials flowing into and out of the manufacturing plant. A digital version of the factory, in short.

The division that makes Tecnomatix also writes CAM software and other production add-ons for Siemens PLM's NX CAD system.

Aaron Frankel is director of product marketing at Siemens PLM Software, and he explained that to view these digital factories in Google Maps, Siemens PLM Software now offers the cleverly-named Intosite. It is an app that runs in Web browsers, as well as on iPads and Windows tablets. (See figure 1.)

Figure 1Web interface to Intosite (Image credit: Siemens AG)

The app gets its 3D and other data from a server, and then lets users see the manufacturing plant in-place. Users can navigate through the plant, and access data attached to objects. For example, Ford is running a pilot project of Intosite at the Michigan Assembly Plant. (See figure 2.) They are interested in it because Intosite uses Google Earth as the interface ("a platform that most of the world is familiar with," says Ford), it lets the company create virtual private spaces with worldwide communication, it eliminates the cost of plant visits, and because they already are a Siemens PLM customer.

Tali Segal is innovation lead in the Manufacturing Engineering segment at Siemens PLM, and so I asked her to describe the new app to me.

Q&A

Ralph Grabowski: Tell me how someone might use Intosite.Tali Segal: With Intosite, people can access information where they are, such as on the shop floor or at head office. We are making a digital twin of the production facilities.

Intosite lets users overlay links to different systems on the factory floor, such as a video of the line in production, or a repair being made to the line. The data is then shared with remote users, or for creating best practices. It is a blend of physical and virtual worlds.

Grabowski: How does Tecnomatix data get into Intosite?Segal: You use our Web-based application to import JT data. It also accepts 2D data, images, and hyperlinks. All of this is stored on servers, which the mobile apps access.

Grabowski: Does it work only with NX and Solid Edge files?Segal: It works with any program that exports to JT format.

Grabowski: How does geographic information get into the JT data? I mean, how do you know where to place the 3D model on the map?Segal: You import the JT file into Intosite, and then add a latitude-longitude point. Most facilities have some sort of zero-zero reference point, such as north-east corner of the building. If this is unknown, you can always align it roughly with the satellite imagery provided by Google Maps.

Grabowski: Are there file size limitations when Intosite is used on a mobile device? If so, what happens when the mobile device can no longer handle the file?Segal: Intosite mobile application does not impose a file size limitation. Since 3D models are not displayed in the mobile application, and files that are opened by the user are not kept offline, the size of the application storage is not expected to be an issue. You can also upload information (movie or photo) via the application, we recommend uploading short movies (maximum of 50-100MB).

Grabowski: I noticed that the 3D model in Intosite can have nodes that display text data. Are these links to PLM systems?Segal: The data nodes link to any IT system or PLM system; it is done through a Web link.

Grabowski: What sorts of viewing controls does Intosite have? Segal: You can do walkthroughs; you cannot go through floors but can go through walls.

Grabowski: I notice that it runs on iOS and Windows Metro [aka Modern UI]. Why Windows Metro?

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Segal: We developed the Windows version after customer feedback told us that tablets running Windows are more likely to be approved for corporate use. It requires Windows 8.1.

Grabowski: But why was Intosite written for the Windows Metro interface, instead of for Windows generally? Segal: When developing the native Windows application that we released on Microsoft's store, we intended for it to be used on mobile touchscreen Windows devices.This is the reason for choosing Metro interface over the desktop.

Grabowski: Will there be a version for Android?Segal: We haven't made a version for Android yet, but it is in the plans. It's a matter of programming resources.

Grabowski: Are you finding that specific verticals are more likely to adopt the software?Segal: The software is still new [first released last fall], but we are finding that it is attractive to enterprise customers who have multiple facilities around the globe, like a worldwide automotive customer or any other company with global factories.

Grabowski: I downloaded the software for my Windows 10 tablet, but then Intosite's first screen required me to log in. What is the next step to using the software?Segal: You need to contact sales team and then purchase a license to use the software. After this, the iOS and Windows apps are free to use.

Grabowski: Do you see any competitors to Intosite?Segal: This is the only product of which we are aware that does this with JT files.

Grabowski: What are your future plans for Intosite?Segal: We see Intosite as a huge opportunity, and so we have several directions in mind: better collaboration tools, integration into other systems, and a version for Android. We are looking at better ways to connect and visualize information.

Intosite Test Drive

Intosite runs on iOS and Windows tablets. The Windows version was announced just last month, but runs only on Windows 8.1 or 10 computers. The reason is that Intosite was written for TUIFKAM -- the user interface formerly known as Metro. You get the Windows version from Microsoft's online software store, while the iPad version is installed from Apple's App store.

And One More Thing...

TiSoft of Athens reminded me that their free Cadmium software is just a 40MB download, yet handles 2D drafting and 3D modeling, reads and writes DWG and SketchUp files, and publishes layouts. The figure below shows an SKP file opened in Cadmium.

The company makes its money from add-ons for electrical, heating, and energy designs, and U-values (heat transfer) calculations. http://www.ti-soft.com

Even More News

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